The Ladders of Classical Music: For Better or Worse

By Dr. Logan Chopyk

July 13, 2026

Of all the musical paths one can take, classical music is undeniably among the most structured. It is a world of syllabi, grades, auditions, and clear-cut hierarchies. But lately, I’ve been wondering: does this rigid ladder build better musicians, or does it fence them in?

I recently listened to an interview with bluegrass phenom Billy Strings that threw this contrast into sharp relief. His musical development came not from a conservatory, but from late nights listening to and playing bluegrass with his dad and his dad’s friends, obsessively spinning CDs of his favorite artists.

Aside from his father showing him a few things on the guitar, Billy had almost zero formal education.

When his dad tried to teach him how to count beats, Billy had to translate the concept into his own terms just to understand it.

He is a profound auditory learner. In the interview, he talked about playing with virtuosos like Edgar Meyer and Béla Fleck. A lot of their music theory jargon would fly right over his head—until they played what they were talking about. Instantly, Billy understood.

If Billy Strings had been put through a traditional, formal music education, he might have washed out of the system entirely. Then again, it makes me wonder about the inverse: How many of us are only musicians because of the formal music education system? I taught myself rudimentary piano at a young age, but I highly doubt I would have become a professional without the scaffolding and support of the formal education system.

The Competition Machine: Perfection vs. Passion

One of the defining features of the classical music system is its clear milestones: regional and national competitions, graded exams, and chair auditions.

These structures serve a purpose. They lead to:

• Opportunities to play with higher-caliber musicians.

• Exposure to working professionals.

• Tangible goals to hone one's practice.

For competitive-minded people, this ladder can become a healthy fixation—a wonderful mechanism to sharpen musical skills. However, I think teachers, students, and parents don’t stop often enough to ask the most important question: Why?

What kind of music do you really want to play? Why do you want to play it?

When the primary goal becomes "winning the competition," it can inadvertently prioritize playing that is technically proficient but completely uninspired.

A Parent's Dilemma: Finding the Tribe

This isn't just an abstract philosophical debate for me; it’s happening in my living room. As a parent, my children are approaching competition age. As both their dad and their teacher, I am gently introducing them to repertoire that would be acceptable for the competition circuit.

But there’s a catch: they are used to a high level of autonomy. They play a healthy diet of classical music, but they also love film scores and popular styles. Right now, they simply aren’t interested in competing.

And yet, I know that plugging into the broader music community—like attending an MTAC conference, for instance—makes music infinitely more fun. At a certain point, the social scene of musicianship becomes its own vibrant world. If they don't climb the classical ladder, how else can children tap into that scene?

The Alternative Routes:

• School Programs: Bands, orchestras, and choirs are the most obvious entry points.

• The Garage Band Route: I think about bands like Blink-182, who grew up in my own neighborhood. I would love for my kids to have friends they could just casually jam with or write original music alongside.

If you take that casual garage band to the next level, it still requires "competing" in a sense—doing well at a local performance, gaining a reputation, and building a following.

Different Judges, Same Goal

Maybe, at the end of the day, it is all the same thing. Performances are always the goal.

The major difference between classical and popular styles might just be the audience:

1. Classical Music: You are judged by a panel of experts.

2. Popular Music: You are judged by a crowd of fans and concert promoters.

Ultimately, musical fulfillment comes down to choosing the style you love most, finding your tribe of people who also play it, and challenging yourself with performances that serve as their own big opportunities.

Classical music provides a very specific, heavily structured ladder to reach that goal. For better or for worse, it’s up to us how we choose to climb it.